This year the contest added many new broadcast media categories that make for an interesting look at the food world.

Congrats to many MInnesotans who are on the finalists list: Daniel Klein and Mirra Fine, at right, the local filmmaking team who have traveled everywhere to produce the The The Perennial Plate weekly documentaries on sustainable food. They are finalists in the category of video series short program.

Wayne Gisslen, who is co-author of "Professional Garde Manger," is a finalist in the Professional Kitchen category. Rick Nelson wrote about Gisslen awhile back.

Meredith Deeds

Meredith Deeds, a Taste columnist from Edina, at left, is in charge of content for "The Informed Chef" series of cooking videos, which is a finalist in the Intriguing Use of Technology category. The series of videos include one of hers preparing 25 dishes and another from Raghavan Iyer, of Eden Prairie, who is featured with Indian cooking.

Let's also take a look at the finalists in the cookbook category first. One of the finalists, Amy Traverso of "An Apple Lover's Cookbook," is a finalist in two categories, for American and First Book. Rick Nelson interviewed her last fall. Not surprisingly, she likes the Honeycrisp and SweetTango apples from Minnesota, and describes them in the book.

In the MUST-SEE category of video distractions, however, check out the humorous short video category. My favorite is the parody of a classic Western shoot-out, only this is between a corn cob and a string bean. It's called "The Good, The Bad and The Leafy" and it's got music to match.

CHEFS AND RESTAURANTS"Home Cooking with Jean Georges," by Jean-George Vongerichten"The Art of Living According to Joe Beef: A Cookbook of Sorts," by Frederic Morin, David McMillan and Meredith Erickson"The Blue Tomato: The Inspirations Behind the Cuisine of Alan Wong," by Alan Wong

CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILY"My Family Table," John Besh"The Best Homemade Baby Food on the Planet," by Tina Ruggerio"The Family Dinner," by Laurie David

CULINARY HISTORY"Dying on the Vine: How Phylloxera Transformed Wine," by George Gale"High on the Hog," byJessica Harris"Turning the Tables: Restaurants and the Rise of the American Middle Class, 1880-1920," by Andrew P. Haley

SINGLE SUBJECT "All About Roasting," by Molly Stevens"Odd Bits: How to Cook the Rest of the Animal," by Jennifer McLagen
"Plenty," by Yotam Ottolenghi

WINE, BEER OR SPIRITS "Bitters: A Spirited History of a Classic Cure-All, with Cocktails Recipes," by Brad Thomas Parsons
"Mastering Wine for the Asian Palate," by Jennie Cho Lee
"The Food Lover’s Guide to Wine," by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg

AND then we have the New Media and Broadcast Awards. Take a peek at them through the many links.